Accies devastated by late Aberdeen goal

Dec 30 2010 Hamilton Advertiser

SCOTT Vernon’s stoppage time winner consigned Hamilton Accies to another costly defeat as their search for a first home win this season continues.

The SPL’s bottom two sides had battled out a barely entertaining stalemate in front of a crowd of 2968 on a freezing cold December afternoon prior to that, but a point apiece had looked like being a fairly accurate reflection on the game until Vernon settled the matter.

Hamilton last played when they battled out a 0-0 draw here against St Mirren on November 27, but actually started better than that month-long hiatus might have suggested, carving out a few decent chances early on.

In three minutes a Gavin Skelton cross caused havoc in the Dons defence but Jon Routledge could only blaze over when presented with a chance.

A minute later Martin Canning’s crossfield pass picked out Derek Lyle but his shot was comfortably held at the left post by Jamie Langfield.

Aberdeen came into the game after that and when Simon Mensing stumbled just outside the box in 13 minutes it gave Josh Magennis a sight of goal, but Tomas Cerny saved well.

In 34 minutes David Buchanan inexplicably sliced the ball into the path of Chris Maguire, only for Jim Goodwin to bring him down just outside the box.

Captain Paul Hartley stepped up but sent the set-piece just past the left post with Cerny at full stretch.

Accies closed out the half in 40 minutes when Dougie Imrie’s 30-yard free-kick was superbly clawed out of the top right corner by Langfield.

Half-time seemed to serve as something of a momentum breaker and it took both sides quite some time to get going in a drab second half.

Scott Vernon showed his menace in 61 minutes by blasting just past the right post from a Chris Maguire set-up.

The game descended into a midfield battle with fouls being dished out across the pitch, but few instances of note.

Hamilton were denied what looked like a decent shout for a penalty in 85 minutes when sub Jerel Ifil appeared to pull Imrie over in the box, but referee Craig Thomson wasn’t interested and waved away the claims.

And Aberdeen made their hosts pay for that a minute into stoppage time when sub Ryan Jack squared for Vernon to blast past helpless Cerny from close range.

The Aberdeen bench showed what it meant to them as they all rose to their feet – Accies fans did likewise, but only to begin the cold journey home.

HAMILTON: Cerny, Buchanan, Canning Mensing, Goodwin, Skelton, Gillespie, Routledge, Imrie, Lyle (M. Paixao, 64), Casalinuovo (F. Paixao, 52). Subs (not used): Murdoch, McLaughlin, McDonald, McAlister, Devlin.

Booked: Canning, Routledge.

ABERDEEN: Langfield, McArdle, Diamond, Considine, Vujadinovic (Ifil, 30), Magennis (Aluko, 78), Young (Jack, 58), Hartley, Folly, Maguire, Vernon. Subs (not used): Howard, McNamee, Pawlett, Paton.

Booked: Hartley.

Referee: Craig Thomson.

Attendance: 2968.

Advertiser Man of the Match: Martin Canning – put in some telling tackles and blocks.